International Women's Day 2016: Nine inspiring North East women

Debra Fox

In honour of International Women's Day, which is being celebrated worldwide today, we have taken a look at some of the North East's finest.

These are only some of the spectacular women who hail from the North East region - so don't forget to let us know who you are recognising.

Denise Robertson: Denise has inspired people across the country in both her writing and broadcasting - and now the public is backing her in her fight against pancreatic cancer.

Lauren Laverne: Flying the music flag for the region first as singer for Kenickie, Laverne now presents a programme on BBC Radio 6 Music - a local legend.

Catherine Cookson: The author is undoubtedly one of the region's finest treasures. Her novels, set in South Tyneside, made the area famous to readers across the world.

Steph Houghton: The MBE led England's women's national team to the 2015 World Cup semifinals in Canada. She also played in the 2012 Olympic side.

Grace Darling: The lighthouse keeper's daughter is known for her courageous rescue of shipwreck survivors in the 1830s. She went with her father on a rowing boat, instead of sending the lifeboat from (then) North Sunderland.

Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall: The South Shields lasses found fame after becoming half of Little Mix, a band formed on the X Factor in 2011. Since then, they have released three studio albums with their latest, Get Weird, going to Number 2 in the UK Album Chart.

Kate Adie: The journalist, who received an OBE in 1993, is a respected journalist who grew up in Sunderland. She was the chief news correspondent for BBC News, and currently works for Radio 4.

Savannah Marshall: The Hartlepool boxer took home Britain's first ever women's boxing world title.